Abu Dhabi: An Abu Dhabi-bound Air India Express Boeing 737 returned to Kochi after the crew detected a rapid drop in Engine 1 oil quantity and later shut down the engine when its oil pressure entered the danger zone, according to news agency ANI.
Flight IX 415 was around 50 minutes into its journey and cruising at 36,000 feet when the pilots noticed the oil quantity in Engine 1 falling rapidly.
The crew carried out a FORDEC assessment as the oil level continued to drop and decided to abandon the Abu Dhabi sector and return to Kochi.
The commander informed air traffic control about the decision to turn back, while the pilots continued monitoring the engine parameters during the diversion.
Around 45 minutes after the aircraft turned back, Engine 1 oil pressure began fluctuating and entered the red zone on the cockpit gauge. The crew then followed the aircraft’s Non-Normal Checklist and shut down the engine.
The Boeing 737 subsequently landed safely at Cochin International Airport.
The incident comes against the backdrop of several recent flight disruptions involving technical or operational issues.
On Thursday, September 3, an Air India Express flight from Varanasi to Delhi was diverted to Lucknow after a technical issue. The airline said the precautionary diversion was made with passenger safety in mind and that an alternative flight was being arranged to take passengers to Delhi.
A Delhi-bound IndiGo flight also returned to Goa on Tuesday, September 2, after a technical issue involving one of its engines.
On Sunday, September 6, a Virgin Atlantic flight from Bengaluru to London returned to Kempegowda International Airport after developing a technical problem shortly after take-off. The aircraft reportedly circled near Tumakuru for more than 30 minutes before returning to Bengaluru. All passengers were safe.
The Air India Express incident also comes days after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report into the August 4 Air India Phuket-Delhi incident.
Air India flight AI 2379 experienced a near-simultaneous loss of pressure in all three hydraulic systems while flying at 36,000 feet.
The preliminary report said the hydraulic failure caused the autopilot to disconnect, triggered a stall warning and resulted in an altitude upset. Twenty-four passengers and crew members were injured.
The investigation is continuing, with hydraulic components and samples collected for further analysis. Airbus technical experts also inspected the aircraft in the presence of the investigation team.
Following the incident, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) would increase the annual percentage of psychoactive substance tests for flight crew.
The latest incident comes as India’s aviation safety oversight faces increased scrutiny.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is scheduled to assess India’s aviation safety oversight from November 16 to 20 under its International Aviation Safety Assessment programme.
The programme examines whether a country’s civil aviation regulator complies with international standards in areas including aircraft airworthiness, pilot licensing and safety oversight.
This post was last modified on September 7, 2026 1:55 pm